Stem for bottle-washing brushes.



C. K.' VOLCKENING. STEM FOR BOTTLE WASHING BRUSHES. APPLICATIONHLED 1320.23, 190s.

922,982. Patented May 25, 1909.

1m: Nafmls PETERS m1 wAsHmaroN, n. c"

a in the general direction of its length, but

CHARLES K. VOLOKENING, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STEM FOR BOTTLE-WASHING BRUSHES.

` yne, 922,982.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1909.

Application led December 23, 1908. Serial No. 468,895.

- 'n To alt ywhom itmay concern:

. Be it known that I, CHARLES K. VoLoKEN- ING, afcitizen of the United States, and a y resident of the city of New York, borough kof'fBrooklyn, 1n the county of Kings and kState of New York, have invented a new y, and Improved Stem `for Bottle-Washing n Brushes,.of which thef'ollowing is a full,

' clear, `and exact description.

My invention relates yto stems used for bottle'washingbrushes, my more particular j purpose being to provide a type of telescopic stem yadapted to rotate at a high rate of y.speed and carrying a brush upon one of its ends", the stem being not only compressible being so constructed that when an undue y pressure vis applied upon the end of the stem,

the rotation of the stem, acting in conjunction with the pressure, tends to shorten the fysteni `to a greater extent than could be accomplished by the undue pressure alone.

More particularly stated, my invention y i 'comprehends a tubular stem comprising an 25 kupper spindle and a lower spindle'fitted telescopically together, the lower spindle being f provided with a spiral slot, the walls slot so that when both spindles are driven by` power applied to the lower spindle and undue pressurev is applied upon the upper i kspindle in the general direction of its length,

the action of the lug within the cam which yitfits,assisted by the continuous rotation of rthey lower spindle, tends to draw the upper spindle downward so that the brush f carried by the upper i'spindle is correspond- *l low ed. o ing y er 'n The purpose of my invention, generally speaking, is to kfacilitate the quick with- 7 drawal of the bottle washer brush from contactwith any yobstruction which this brush meets inwashing the bottle, the withdrawal i motive power for effecting the withdrawal ybeing controlled by the obstruction, but the y being supplied froml the power used for turning ythe stem.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying `drawings forming a part of this specifif cation, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figurel is a view partly in section and A. ..-i a

partly in elevation, showing a portion of a bottle washing machine, and also showing how the improved stem is used in connection with said machine; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation of the upper and lower tubular spindles showing the slot and the lug fitting the same, these parts together constituting a portion of the means whereby, under proper conditions, rotation of the lower spindle lowers the upper spindle; and Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through the mechanism indicated in Fig. 2, and

shows in addition a stout spiral spring for tensioning the upper and lower tubular spindles relatively to each other.` y

vMounted upon a vertical rod 4 is a bracket and engaging the same is a lug 6 carried by a collar 7 constituting a bearing. A collar 8 is slidably mounted upon the rod 4 and is provided with a lug 9. A holder 10 engages this lug and is integral with a plate 11, and resting upon this plate is another plate 12. A bar llis connected with the collar 8 and is provided with a handle 14. A collar is mounted upon the rod 4 and journaled in this collar is a rocking shaft 16. Secured rigidly upon this rocking shaft is a cam 17 which engages plate 18, this plate being connected with a collar 19, on the rod 4.

At 2O is a tubular spindle which works within the bearing 7, and fitted upon this tubular spindle is a gear wheel 21 for the purpose of turning it. A sleeve 22 provided with an annular head 23 whereby it may be turned. The lower end of this sleeve is threaded internally and Afitted upon the upper end of the lowerspindle which is threaded for this purpose. The sleeve 22 is provided with a slot 24. A sleeve 25 eX- tends into the upper endof the sleeve 22, fitting the same telescopically. A lug 26 is secured upon the sleeve 25 by screws 27, this lug 26, like the slot 24 in which it works, being inclined. The walls of the slot 24 surrounding the lug 26 are adapted to act somewhat after the manner of a cam, as hereinafter described.

The sleeve 25 is provided with facets 27 whereby it may be held by aid of a wrench, in fitting the parts together. This sleeve is further provided at its upper end with a thread 28 and with slots 29. A collar 30, threaded internally, is fitted upon the threaded end 28 and is provided with facets 3l whereby it may be turned, while the sleeve 25 is held stationary, as just stated, by the wrench.

The upper spindle is'shown at 32 andis of considerably smaller diameter than the lower spindle 20. The upper spindle rests upon an annular shoulder 33 wherewith the sleeve 25 is provided. In order to couple the upper spindle 32 with the sleeve 25, it is let down into the same and lodged against the shoulder The annular collar 30 is now turnedso as to tighten the slotted'portion of the sleeve 25 against the upper spindle. lThis makes a water-tight joint.

A stout spring 2a engages the upper end of the lower spindle 20 and also engages the lower end of the sleeve 25. This spring is of such strength as to normally holdthe various parts in the relation indicated in Fig. 3. Mounted upon the upper end of the upper spindle 32 is a ferrule 35 which carries brushes 36. At 37 is a bottle to be washed. The bottle 37 contains a thickened portion 38 due to a flaw in its make-up.

The operation of my device is as follows: Power being continuously applied to the lower spindle by aid of the gear 2l, the lower spindle turns-constantly and drives the up per spindle 32. The water, being forcedl upwardly through the lower spindle, finds its way out into the bottle 37 and flows downwardly, making its escape therefrom. The bottle 37, together with the plates 11, l2, 1S, has a vertical reciprocating motion well understoodin this art and used for the purpose of bringing the brushes 36 into engagement with the entire interior of the bottle.

The tension ofthe spring 34 is such that normally this spring yields but little, if at all, during the washing of a bottle. Suppose, however, that the bottle contains an obstruction 38 and that this obstruction is engaged. by the brushes 36; Naturally this develops a little pressure upon the upper end of the upper spindle 32, tending to force this spindle downwardly, thereby compressing` the springa. Since this spring is tolerably strong the pressure due to the obstruction alone might, within itself, be insufiicient to cause the upper spindle to descend. The slot 24 being inclined, however, and acting as a cam, the rotation of the sleeve 22 (underthe constant application of power through the gear 2l) causes the lug 26 to be drawn downwardly and in doing this the upper spindle 32 is moved slight-ly downward so that the brushes are disengaged from the obstruction. It will be noted in this connection that a portionof the power used for retracting the brushes when they encounter an obstacle, is supplied from the primary source of power used for actuating the various movable parts and is not supplied altogether by the pressure of the obstruction alone. It will also be noted that downward movement of the upper spindle and the consequent withdrawal ofIl the brushes from the obstruction 38, are due, in a measure, to a differential movement taking place between the upper and lower spindles.

Thile for convenience I show the spring 34C, lug 2G and parts immediately associated therewith, as located substantially` at the junction between the upper spindle and the .lower spindle, I do not limit myself thereby, for the reason that the saidA parts may be located at any convenient point intermediate the brush and the lower end of the revoluble stem which, in this particular instance, happens to be made up ofthe lower and upper` spindles.

Hav-ing thus described my invent-ion, I claim as new and'desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1 .llhe combination ofl aV stemcompressible in the general direction of its length, a-

br-ush mounted upon said stem, means for arising. said stem to rotate, andi mechanism controllable partly'by an obstruction in the path of4 said brush and partly by the-rotation of said stem, for compressing said stem in the generalA direction of` its length.

The combination of. a revoluble stem comprising two parts fitted-1 telescopically together and movable relatively. to each other, a springA for. maintainingV said parts in a predetermined normalposition,.afbrush mouutedupon one of said parts and adapted to encounter an obstruction occasionally, and means controllable partly by saidI obstruction and partly by the rotationof said,

stem, for compressing said spring and moving` one of. said` parts of said` stem relatively tothe other pai-.t1 thereof.

3. The combination of a lower spindle of tubular form, an. upper spindle of tubular form, a sleeve mountedv upon said lower spindle andencirclingl a` portion of said upper spindle, thereby forming a telescopic connection between said.- lower spindle and saidupper spindle,.a. spring disposed intermediate said upper spindle and said lower spindle for the purpose of normally maintaining said spindles in a predetermined working relation, means for turning said lower spindle, mechanism connecting. said sleeve with saidupper spindle for the purpose of transmit-ting` motionk to said upper spindle, said mechanism being4 controllable partly by pressure upon said upper spindle and partly by the rotation ofA said lower spindle, for forcing'said upper spindle downward, and a brush mounted upon said upper spindle.

4., The combination of a lower spindle. means for turning the sam,ea sleeve mounted upon said lower spindle and provided with a spirally disposed slot, an upper spindle, a. sleeve mounted upon the lower end thereof and telesoopng with said sleeve In testimony whereof I have signed my upon Said lower Spindle, a lug mount-ed nume to this speeoaton in the preeenoe of upon said Sleeve connected with said upper two subscribing Witnesses.

" spindle, said lug extending into seid Slot, a l CHARLES K. VOLCKENING.

brush mounted upon Said upper Spindle, and WTitneSseS:

ineens for yeldingly holding said uppell VALTON HARRISON, f spludle relatlvely to Saud lower spmdle. a JOHN P. DAVIS. 

